A reunion in Westmoreland at a special Houston house

Photographer and Rice professor Paul Hester photographs a group of Rice students and their spouses Sunday outside Mayor Annise Parker’s home. Some of the students used to live in the now-historic home, which was featured in a 1971 Houston Chronicle article on the changing Montrose area. (J.R. Gonzales : Chronicle)

The Westmoreland area of Montrose has come a long way since 1971.

In an article on the changing area back then, the Houston Chronicle described a scene where “longhairs” and young families coexisted with poor minorities, students, gays and apartment dwellers. The article focused on a three-story mansion where a group of about 10 Rice students lived.

“It was really casual and relaxed,” said Chick Bianchi, who was photographed with that group in the Chronicle article. “People came and went.”

The group even got to go inside thanks to the current homeowner, Mayor Annise Parker.

“We always like to hear stories about the house,” Parker said.

Known officially as the Elbert C. Crawford House, it was built in 1904 by August LeBrun Metcalf. In 1906, Metcalf sold the house to Clara Edwards Crawford, whose husband, Elbert C. Crawford, was a local entrepreneur. By the late 1960s, the home was being rented out to students. In 2009, the house became a protected historic landmark.

For Wally Washington, who also lived in the house back then, he said he was glad to see the house was in such good shape and that Parker and her family were keeping it up.

It was a fun hangout, Washington said.

“College roommates on steroids is what it really was,” he said.

“The best part of today was everybody saying how happy they were when they were here,” Parker said. “Apparently just really beautiful memories for everybody.”

Of the 10 originally photographed by the Chronicle, three were unable to attend while one, center back, has passed away. The whereabouts of the woman front and center is unknown.